


Gas Money

by KalluraIcedCoffee



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Ok maybe more than one night, One Night Stands, Opposites Attract, Road Trips, Sexy Times, Shadam, Weddings, Well there's two but it's a murder hotel and Allura is understandably not sleeping in hers, kallura, there's only one bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-08-11 09:55:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20151736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalluraIcedCoffee/pseuds/KalluraIcedCoffee
Summary: As best man and maid of honor, Keith and Allura’s presence at Shiro and Adam’s wedding is kinda mandatory. The bad news: recent storms have made Allura getting to the church on time via plane a no go. The good news: Keith has a car.





	1. Carpool

**Author's Note:**

> Once upon a time I wrote a drabble about Allura and Keith needing to share a bed as they road-tripped to a friend's wedding. Since then I've been wanting to expand on that a little bit. Something short and sweet, a few chapters tops.
> 
> Also I'm having writer's block with my other "in progress" fics so here take this distraction!

Allura feels guilty frantically texting Adam days before the wedding. He’s got plenty on his plate as is and the last thing he needs is a barrage of texts from his maid of honor informing him that she might not make it, but everything has gone to shit and she’s sitting in a terminal watching the electronic sign break the news that her connecting flight is delayed indefinitely and he needs to know.

_9:20 am_

_Like canceled canceled or just…canceled?_

Allura looks over her shoulder as rain beats against the window. Lightning flashes as if on cue giving her a glimpse of the plane she could be on if not for the storm.

_9:21 am_

_Very canceled._

_9:21 am_

_Shit. Ok don’t have a meltdown. This can be fixed, just gimme a sec._

Allura stares at her phone with an arched brow. If there’s one thing she knows to be true about Adam it’s that when he puts his mind to it he can make anything happen to a startling, almost seemingly supernatural degree. She’s not sure if it’s charm or witchcraft, but either way if he says it can be fixed it’ll get fixed. Still, she’s skeptical as to how he’s going to suddenly make the skies clear and her flight un-delay in a matter of a “sec.”

It takes more than a sec in reality, 15 or so minutes to be exact. Adam tells Shiro of Allura’s predicament. Shiro grunts and pulls the pillow over his head complaining that it’s not even ten yet. Adam persists. Shiro grumbles and asks what city Allura is currently trapped in and the second the answer leaves Adam’s lips he already knows a solution. Shiro knows it too and they immediately squabble over who’s going to call Keith…and grovel…and beg…and sweeten the deal with money or their soul or first born.

“Technically he’s YOUR best man and YOUR best friend so I think YOU should do it.”

“Yes but YOU want him to pick up YOUR friend so YOU should do it.”

“She’s our friend dear” Adam corrects sweetly trying to pass the buck.

“You’ve known her since high school. She’s been your friend way longer.”

“Honey please you’re so much better at getting him to say yes. You’re like a brother to him.”

“Oh don’t pull that brotherly crap right now.”

“Please.”

“Adam…”

Adam rolls over onto his hubby-to-be and peppers Shiro’s neck with kisses, eliciting a soft muffled moan from his face buried in the pillow.

“Pleaaaaaase. I’ll do that thing you like.”

“Let me watch my show uninterrupted without asking a single question?”

“Yes.”

“Deal.”

Adam is right though. Shiro is better at getting Keith to say yes, a pro at it. And it takes a lot of cajoling considering Keith barely knows this woman. He’s met her maybe one time a little over a year ago at the engagement party and he can barely remember what she looked like what with so many people to mingle with and so much champagne. Now Shiro expects him to carpool with this stranger for a couple of days?

“No.”

“Keith c’mon.”

“Yeah, no.”

“She’s stranded, you’re really going to leave her stranded?”

“The storm isn’t even that bad.”

“You’re driving anyway so why can’t you just bring her with you?”

“Cause I don’t know her and you want me to be stuck in a car with her for lord knows how long.”

“But you could get to know her and frankly you should since you’re walking her down the aisle.”

“We’ll get acquainted at the rehearsal dinner.”

There’s a long pause, followed by deep sigh on Shiro’s end.

“Ok, that’s fine, she just won’t be able to come and it’ll ruin the most important day of my life.” His voice cracks, tapered off into a whimper.

“Oh no you don’t, don’t you dare!”

“I just, I just love Adam so much and I want the day to be perfect…”

There’s a sniffle.

“Fuck off don’t do this to me!”

“Imagine him standing there without his maid of honor…his dearest friend…just like you’re my best friend…” Shiro’s breath hitches, he sounds like he’s choking back tears.

Keith’s face contorts into a scowl as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Fine damnit I’ll do it!” he hisses into the phone.

“Great! I’ll tell her to sit tight and you’ll pick her up within the hour. I’ll text you the details!” Shiro responds in a sing-song voice, the previous guilt trip flicked off like a light switch.

Keith hangs up his cell phone, missing the old school days of land lines when you could forcefully slam the phone down on the receiver on someone in a way that let them truly know how annoyed you were. He looks at his bags, packed and grouped by the door and mutters curses starting in “s” and “f” before snatching his keys to head out and pack the car.

If it had been anyone he actually knew he would have slow rolled through the arrivals pickup area at the airport, barely stopping the car while popping the trunk. But Keith was raised with some semblance manners and his dad taught him to be a gentleman so he parks and goes inside to meet and retrieve his new carpool buddy.

He waits to get inside before pulling his phone from the pocket of his black bomber jacket and re-reads the text he received shortly before pulling out of the driveway.

_10:13 am_

_Hi, this is Allura. I hope you don’t mind Adam gave me your number. Thank you SO MUCH for agreeing to give me a ride to the wedding. I owe you BIG TIME! You’re really saving me. Let me know when you get here and I can come out. I’m wearing a red blouse, hopefully that makes me easy to spot. See you soon! :)_

The space between his eyebrows scrunch and crinkle. The message alone has Keith fearing she’ll be talking his ear off in the car. Keith huffs and begins searching baggage claim for her. He could call her, he should call her, but for some reason he’s nervous at the idea of talking to her, he’s not ready yet. He’s hoping to scope her out first before she notices him. Before he can find her his phone is buzzing in his pocket. Fumbling, he yanks it out and his heart drops. He lets it ring for as long as possible before it can kick over to voicemail, tapping the green button with his phone at the last minute.

“Do you like coffee?”

She doesn’t even say hello first or introduce herself, not that she needs to. He recognizes the number and the memory of her accent from the engagement party comes rushing back.

“Uh…y-yeah?”

“I was dying and popped over to a kiosk. How do you take your coffee?”

“Um, black is fine.”

“Are you here yet?”

“Yeah, standing in baggage claim.”

“Wonderful. So, what are you wearing Keith?” she purrs into the phone. Or Keith thinks he hears a purr, maybe it’s just the fatigue from her early flight causing a rasp in her voice. Either way, the manner in which she says it makes his lower back tingle, even if it was completely unintentional.

“Eh, excuse me?!” he blurts out.

“So I can find you.”

“Oh, uh, yeah black bomber jacket, black jeans, black tee.”

There’s silence on her end save for what Keith thinks is a slight snicker under her breath.

“I’m next in line. See you soon. 

She hangs up abruptly and Keith realizes the exchange has left him flustered for some reason, especially since now he’s the one standing there, vulnerable, waiting for this woman to descend on him. He no longer has the upper hand. Maybe he can still catch her first. His eyes dart back and forth hoping to notice her before she notices him. Suddenly his eyes lock on a vibrant splash of red.

Bullseye.

It’s good that he can spot her from afar like this so he can run through the gamut of emotions before they have to exchange words.

She strides in his direction with a cardboard drink carrier in one hand and yanking her large rolling luggage with the other. She looks expensive: designer skinny jeans, leopard print heels, red blouse with a dark grey trench coat. Gold rimmed sunglasses rest atop her head, lips as red as her top, nails manicured. He could probably pay his rent with her purse. Keith suddenly feels like nothing more than her uber driver, some schlep whose face and name she’ll forget as soon as he drops her off to whatever upscale hotel she’d surely stay at.

“Keith? Keith!” Her face lights up as she quickens her pace, heels clacking louder as she approaches.

“Hey.” He looks at the floor.

“It’s nice to see you again. It’s been a while.” She extends her arm toward him, holding out the coffee up under his nose. The rich scent of roasted beans curls and drifts into his nostrils.

“Yeah, thanks.”

He takes the holder and escorts her to the car, suddenly feeling like a jackass the second they step outside and wind and rain hit them in the face. He should have brought an umbrella or something.

“No, thank you. Of all the cities I could get stuck in. It’s really a miracle you hadn’t left yet.”

“Glad I could help” he mumbles, pretending like he wasn’t just telling Shiro he was going to leave her high and dry like an hour before.

Once in the parking garage they shake off the droplets clinging to their clothes and Allura slips into the passenger seat while Keith heaves her weighty suitcase into the back of his SUV. He notes how the size of her luggage complete eclipses his weekender duffle bag before sliding into the car himself. With a slight smile, Keith turns the key in the ignition. Immediately they’re assaulted with a blaring cacophony of harsh guitars, pounding drums and screaming screeching vocals. His hand shoots out to the dial and hurriedly turns it all the way down.

“Sorry! Sorry…” He winces, embarrassed.

“It’s fine.”

“Let me see what else I have.” He tries to reach for the glove compartment.

“No need. It’s your car, listen to what you want” Allura says before taking a sip from her coffee and pulling her purse into her lap. “Besides, if you don’t mind, I’m going to nap a bit. Had to get up ridiculously early today.” She yanks a silk pink ruffled eye mask from her bag and shakes it at him.

“Then I should definitely pick something else, something better.”

“Trust me I can sleep through this.” She winks before tugging the mask over her face.

Keith wants to ask if she’s sure but she’s already snuggling and settling into the seat. He turns the music up, but only a little, and backs out of the parking space. He steals one final look at her then heads for the highway.

The ride is silent save for the music and rain beating down on the windshield and it has Keith thinking so far so good. Once in a while he checks on Allura but she’s still out cold. She even looks rich in her sleep, he thinks, like the princess. He’s able to drive quite a while before the gas light comes on and he turns off the next exit, pulling into the nearest gas station.

“Allura…” Keith murmurs softly as he gently nudges her awake.

“Hmm” she whimpers and stirs.

“Allura I’m stopping to get gas. Sorry to wake you but I figured you may wanna use the bathroom or something before we get on the road again.

“Hmm, yes of course, thank you” she utters before pulling her mask from her eyes. She still looks a bit sleepy as she pulls down her visor mirror and fixes her white tresses. “Do you want anything? My treat.”

“Uh, just a water or something, thanks.”

They both leave the car and go inside together, splitting off to the men and women’s bathrooms. Once finished, Keith goes outside to fill up the car while Allura peruses aisle by aisle to examine the snacks. When she rejoins him at the car her hands are full, including water for him and her guilty pleasure, a cherry slushie. She gets back in the passenger seat as Keith stands watching the numbers go up on the display screen and rolls down the window to get a deep breath of that fresh clean air that comes with a good rain.

At the same moment a large white truck roars up and pulls into a parking space rather than a pump. A young man gets out and stretches, adjusting his red and camo print trucker hat while eyeing Keith and the young beautiful woman sitting in his car. On the way to the convenience store he moseys over and leans down into the window, surprising both Keith and Allura.

“Say, what’s a hot chick like you doing with an emo prick like that?” he coos at her, loud enough for Keith to hear.

Keith’s eyes narrow and he goes to open his mouth before Allura cuts in.

“Well, can I be honest with you Chet?” she asks sweetly.

“It’s Jason.”

“Close enough. Anyway, if I could be completely honest with you,” she inches closer, “it’s his dick.”

Her suitor flinches and Keith promptly chokes on his own saliva.

“It’s positively massive and it just, how do you Americans put it? Blows my back out?” she says so smoothly and naturally. “It hurts so good I simply can’t get enough of it.”

Jason looks up at Keith whose shock quickly shifts to an innocent shrug as he decides to play along.

“Now do you mind stepping away from the vehicle? The fumes from your axe body spray are making me a bit nauseous” she adds while delicately placing a hand over her nose and mouth.

“W-Whatever bitch” the man hisses and backs away from the car, face red and flustered as he storms into the store.

“Hey!” Keith calls after him, but he’s inside. He returns the hose to the pump with a snarl and gets in the car, slamming the car door to boot. “That guy was an asshole” he comments further, turning the key in the ignition.

“Indeed. Keith be a dear and pull up beside that truck on the way out would you?”

His brow furrows but he does as she asks, slow rolling by the monstrous beast on oversized tires. Allura takes one long satisfying gulp from her slushie before popping the lid off and chucking it out the window. A red icy wave flies and splatters against the white exterior of the truck, including the slightly ajar window, dripping and oozing down the inside.

Keith, once more caught off guard, does a double take before having enough sense to peel out of the gas station before the dudebro returns. They glance at each other repeatedly as he speeds down the road, Keith looking dumbfounded while Allura looks mischievous, biting down on her lip to stifle a grander reaction. It’s not until Keith’s smile betrays him which turns to a burst of laughter that Allura breaks down herself and they both cackle loudly.

“I can’t believe you fucking did that!”

“What can I say? He shouldn’t have called me a bitch.” She giggles, before taking out the water she purchased for him and placing it in the cup holder. “By the way sorry about the comment I made about your…well I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to shut him up after he called you an emo prick.”

“It’s ok, heh. Besides I’m a little emo.” He gives her a slight side eye with a smirk.

From there conversation seems to flow a bit more smoothly. Keith asks how she and Adam became friends, their history together and Allura returns with similar questions about his relationship with Shiro. This then evolves into them spilling all the dirt and embarrassing stories they had to offer on the two grooms.

“Waaaait wait wait. How come I’ve never seen this tattoo?” Keith asks incredulously. “I’ve seen Adam in a swimsuit and no tattoos.”

“Oh it’s there but only god, myself and Shiro have actually seen it. Get him wasted enough and he might show it to you” Allura replies as she polishes off another bag of chips, looking into the empty bag longingly.

Seeing her he realizes his own tummy is grumbling and he looks at the clock.

“Shit I didn’t even realize how late it was getting or how long we’ve been driving. Wanna stop for dinner? Stretch our legs?”

“Sure! I’m not picky, anywhere is fine” she says.

And at first she really means it, until they pull up to the only sit-down restaurant for miles.

“Are you sure there’s nothing else?” she whines, staring at the sign from still inside the car.

“We can go someplace else but it’s all fast food.”

Allura’s face scrunches and her lips jut out. Keith can tell she’s not feeling it and that she’s also stubborn so she won’t admit she’s settling and just let him take her someplace else. They get out and hesitantly walk inside. It’s like a record scratch as all eyes turn to them, causing Allura to stand just a bit closer to Keith. They’re both overdressed by a significant degree. Not too long after the hostess approaches them, a large gap in her wide smile, freckles peppering her face.

“Welcome to the Awesome Possum! Will that be two for this evening?”

“Yeah.” Keith nods and gently leads Allura in with a hand to the small of her back. There’s some resistance.

“Y’all are so fancy, you on a date or something?” she asks, looking them up and down in awe.

“No, no! Just stopping in for a meal” Allura corrects.

“Well you’re in luck anyway cause it’s our 10 year anniversary so we’re havin a bit of celebration as you can see.”

The hostess waves her arm out, encouraging them to look around. A thick forest swamp theme overwhelms them, vines hanging from the ceiling, dim lighting, but jazzed up with streamers, balloons and a banner signifying the restaurant’s milestone. Keith attempts to keep his judgments to himself as they’re led to a booth. The hostess removes the complimentary child placemats and crayons from the table, replacing them with menus which sport a large cartoonish possum on the front who’s name is apparently Petey.

“Someone will be right with you” she informs before walking away.

“Holy. Shit” Keith mutters as he leans in.

“Holy shit indeed” Allura repeats, sitting up straight while hugging her purse in her lap.

They begin to pour over the menu with various stages of confusion on their faces when their waitress finally arrives.

“Hi I’m Amber and I’ll be your server. Can I get you water or something to start?” she says in a dry, bored tone between smacking her gum.

“Uh just a Coke for me, thanks.”

“Do you have wine?” Allura asks.

“Yeah, but it’s like from box if you’re cool with that.”

She’s not, but wine is wine.

“I’ll have the chardonnay please” Allura says with a weak smile.

Amber scribbles it down on a pad of paper and leaves again.

“You know it’s not so bad. I mean it’s a little ‘Country Time Jamboree’ but it could be worse.”

“How much worse” Allura jokes with an arched brow.

Just then, as if the gods are exceptionally cruel, Amber returns to the table with a tray carrying their drinks as well as an extra surprise.

“So as you know it’s our 10th anniversary and to celebrate the awesomeness of the Awesome Possum with our awesome guests, please enjoy this commemorative hat that we’re giving out to all our customers today” she recites in a joyless almost robotic manner that denotes that she’s probably had to regurgitate this speech numerous times during her shift.

She places the drinks on the table and before Keith or Allura can sense what’s coming she slaps the hats on their heads. It’s a baseball cap in nature, but with a cream and gray tinged faux fur, little black ears on the top and long possum tail attached to the back. Keith flinches as the tail brushes the back of his neck while Allura sits frozen as the cap is tugged down over her hair.

“Are you ready to order?” she follows up after the deed is done.

Keith wonders how she has the audacity to act like everything is normal after such an assault and when he finally responds with “chicken fried steak” he says it more like a question than a statement. Allura using all the patience she can muster, clutches her menu in a quiet rage.

“Is there anything on the menu not drowning in gravy?” she asks with a feigned sweetness in her voice.

“The kids menu.”

Allura takes a deep sigh, not wanting to speak the words as she looks over the selections, but she’s starving so she’ll suffer such indignities.

“I’ll have the…” she clears her throat, “the little chicken nibblets with a salad instead of french fries and the, um, possum sauce on the side please.”

Amber writes it down without repeating the order and vanishes again leaving Keith and Allura to look at each other in silence. After a short moment Keith’s mouth begins to curl into a smirk.

“This isn’t funny” Allura warns.

“It’s a little funny.”

“Can I take this thing off now?”

“Can you just say ‘little chicken nibblets’ one more time?” he teases.

“I ought to murder you.” She tries to subdue her own smile.

Eventually she can’t help but laugh and gets up to join Keith on his side of the booth.

“W-What are you doing?” he stammers at the sudden presence of her body so close to his.

“Taking a picture, for posterity. I want Adam and Shiro to know the hell we’re going through for them.”

“I’d rather we didn’t. Shiro will never let me hear the end of it.”

“Just one picture, try to look as miserable as possible” Allura orders.

She holds her phone out and gives the biggest grimace she can muster while Keith scowls and puts up his middle finger. Allura is pleased with this and sends it right away before returning to her side where they both promptly remove their festive hats.

“We should give these to them as a wedding present” Keith suggests, running his hand over the fur and cringing before putting it on the booth next to him.

“That’s terrible and I love it.” Allura smiles then sips her wine. The expression that comes after says everything about the quality and taste but she continues on anyway.

They drink their beverages quietly before a thought dawns on Allura.

“Um, what are we going to do about lodging? I can’t believe I didn’t even think if it before, I was relieved just to have a solution to my cancelled flight.”

“Well I did book a hotel for the first stop and then I was just gonna wing it the rest of the way. There should be available rooms when we get there. You can cover a room right?”

“Of course. What hotel is it, maybe I can call and book my room right now?” She holds her phone out and waits for his reply.

He starts to say it and then the words die in this throat followed by a wash of embarrassment. He can’t take her there, there’s no way, especially not after bringing her to a restaurant like this. To be fair it was the first and cheapest place on the route he’d planned, so he just booked it but…

“Uh, actually maybe we should just find someplace else.” Keith laughs nervously.

“Nonsense. Besides, it’s getting sort of late, I just want to go and shower and relax. What’s it called?”

She waits expectantly for his response.

Keith takes a deep breath, exhaling loudly through his nostrils.

“You like westerns right?”


	2. Totally Not Dating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments so far. I've been garbage at responding, but do know I've read them and appreciate them always. <3

Keith stands there by Allura’s side, a few feet past the doorway, eyes darting back and forth between the room and her face, desperately trying to read her expression.

“It’s…”

“You don’t have to be nice about it for me if that’s what you’re thinking” Keith reassures her as he stares at the lamp, the base of which is a cowboy boot.

Allura hasn’t even made it to that little detail yet. The rather loud print on the bedspread in hues of turquoise and brown and red keep pulling her gaze and if not that cowhide and silver studded wall mirror in which her befuddled reflection stares back at her. The headboard has enough horse shoes to grant her good luck for the next decade and the copious stuffed deer heads on the wall have her slightly envious. Death seems like better deal at the moment.

“It’s…fine” she finally mutters, slow and measured. She already made a stink about the restaurant. If she complains about this she’ll sound like an absolute snob. Keith is doing her a great favor, she needs to be grateful and not complain.

“It’s a honky tonk nightmare” Keith finally jokes.

Allura’s shoulders drop, relax. Ok, if he’s talking shit about it then it’s safe for her to as well. She walks over to the bed and picks up a decorative pillow made of some sort of animal fur lined with tassels.

“The name Bootskoot Inn didn’t set off any red flags for you?” she asks, shaking the cushion at him mockingly.

“To be fair, I didn’t look at any pics. I just saw the price in booked it. They promised a bit of western flare.”

“A bit indeed” she scoffs, but with a smile.

“Well I’ll let you get some rest, as much as you can with those things staring at you.”

They both look toward the heads and chuckle simultaneously.

“I’ll do my best” she promises as she walks him to the door.

He stops and turns, there’s an awkward moment where they sort of just look at each other, around each other.

“Goodnight Keith. Thank you for driving today” Allura finally speaks up.

“No problem. Goodnight.”

She slowly closes the door and Keith lingers for an additional second before returning to his room. After fishing his pajamas out of his bag he heads into the bathroom which is just as gaudy as the rest of the place. Pulling back the shower curtain, which is decorated with a depiction of wild horses running across it, he turns the faucet handle. As he waits for the water to warm he begins to undress, his eyes falling on the cowhide and leather toilet seat cover. He can’t help but laugh and wonder if Allura’s bathroom is equally a sight to behold.

Speaking of which she’s not so bad, he thinks to himself once he’s in the shower, letting the water douse his head. She seems a little high maintenance but nice and witty. They seemed to get off to a good start so hopefully they can maintain this vibe for the rest of the trip. It’s also not a big deal at all or anything but she’s more attractive than he remembers, like way way more. Keith doesn’t want to dwell on it though so he finishes up his shower and dresses quickly.

Hoping to unwind he lays in bed, flipping through local cable channels and realizes he’s not even remotely sleepy. He recalls when they arrived that there was some sort of dive bar across the street and perhaps a little nightcap will take the edge off. Within moments he’s back in his jeans and with his jacket over his head as shelter, he jogs across the road in the rain to Sal’s Tavern.

Despite the late hour, there are quite a few patrons inside, none of which stop to notice him enter or shake the wetness from his coat. He scans the room, then the bar looking for a place to sit when he notices a familiar face.

“You’re trying to tell me Marilyn Monroe visited this place in the 50s?” Allura asks with narrowed eyes as she taps her fingernail on the bar.

“If I’m lyin I’m dyin’!” Sal shrugs as he places a clean shot glass on the table.

“I’m going to be honest with you Sal, I think you’re full of shit but it makes a damn good story.” She smirks at him, resting her chin on her hand as she watches the bartender fill the small glass with clear liquid.

Sal chuckles and shakes his head as Keith approaches, surprised to see her there.

“Oh hey! Sit!” Allura smiles at him and pats the stool next to her. She’s in a simple tee and jeans, sneakers on her feet, sweatshirt tied around her waist. Her bold makeup from earlier is gone, her hair pulled up into a messy bun yet she still looks like royalty in a place like this.

“Can’t sleep either huh?” he asks taking the seat beside her.

She shakes her head in confirmation.

“I think that nap I took earlier ruined me a bit. Join me for a drink?”

Keith looks toward the bar as Sal places another shot glass next to one in front of Allura, pulling out a bottle once more and popping the corked lid.

“Tequila shots?” Keith questions with an arched brow.

“Chicken?” Allura teases.

“Ok easy tiger.”

Keith licks the back of his hand and salts it with the shaker Sal presents them with, along with a small ramekin of limes.

“To Adam and Shiro.”

“To Adam and Shiro.”

They clink glasses and keep their eyes locked on each other as their tongues drag across their skin to lap up the salt. They knock back the shots, faces grimacing before reaching quickly for the limes.

“Ugh let’s not do that again” Allura groans, taking an extra lime.

“Now who’s chicken?” his mouth curls into a smile.

“Shush.”

She nudges him while still nibbling on the citrusy fruit.

“Can I buy you a beer?” Keith finally asks after a brief pause.

“Nope. I’ll buy. I still owe you for taking me to the wedding.”

“Stop. You’ve got plenty of time to repay me, just let me buy a pretty woman a damn drink” he grumbles, already feeling warm and fluttery from the tequila. He motions for two beers to Sal who nods and grabs a couple of pint glasses from under the bar.

“You think I’m pretty?”

“Huh?” Keith double-takes slightly.

“You said to just let you buy a pretty woman a drink” she reiterates his words for him. Her expression is neither teasing nor arrogant, she seems genuinely curious.

Keith chuckles, stumbles with his words, tries to buy himself a little time when the music softly thumping from the jukebox in the background of their conversation comes to focus.

“Can you line dance?” he asks suddenly, changing the topic’s direction.

“Excuse me?”

“Line dance,” he motions to the machine with his thumb, “country music?”

“I can’t say that I have. It’s not really my genre of choice.”

“Well you’re missin’ out little lady. C’mon.”

He grabs his drink with one hand, takes Allura gently by the wrist with the other and attempts to pull her toward the bit of empty floor space. She protests momentarily, but gives up and takes her glass quickly before she’s tugged along. Keith takes a large swig of his beer then places it on outer edge of a nearby pool table. Allura does the same then stands beside him waiting for instructions.

“Ok so you’re gonna kick out your right foot like this and rest on your heel. Then do it again but tap on the heel twice. So you go one, two, three, four.”

He tucks his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans as he moves and Allura can’t help but smile watching him, briefly distracted before she gets back on task and follows his command.

“Next you repeat the kick with each foot once and on the third time turn your body and rock your hips side to side.”

“Like this?” Allura spins in a full circle.

“No, no, more like this.”

Keith comes up behind her and places his hands on her hips, guiding her movements. He’s so close she thinks she can feel his breath tickling the back of her neck. She flinches and turns quickly to face him while stepping out of his grasp.

“I-I think I’ve got it” she stammers while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Uh, good. Let’s move to the next step then.” Keith clears his throat and goes back to standing parallel to her.

He teaches her the rest of the moves, which she picks up well for the most part given how the tequila and beer are definitely kicking in now for the both of them. Every misstep or error causes a fit of giggles for the both of them and when Allura starts incorporating the Macarena Keith gives up entirely.

“Ok ok you win, we can stop.”

He tries to walk away in defeat but now it’s Allura’s turn to hold his wrist and pull him back. She yanks him into her, draping one arm over his shoulder and taking his hand in hers with the other.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry” she apologizes, speech slurred. “Let’s do a dance I’m actually good at. We need to practice for the wedding anyway.”

“We do?”

“Yes, I don’t want to look stupid on the dance floor.”

“I have a feeling everyone is going to look stupid on the dance floor since the wedding is open bar.”

“Perhaps you could show them all your line dancing.”

“Uh, you know, I think I’ll keep that between you and me.” He smirks. He’s stiff at first in her arms, but eases as the conversation continues and moves the hand resting cautiously on her hip to her lower back.

“You know I would have never pegged you for a country boy, what with all the um, black.”

“Dad’s born and raised in Texas. I grew up out in the dessert. I picked up a few things here and there.”

“So the hotel wasn’t a coincidence then, it’s in your blood” she jokes.

“That’s enough out of you” he says sternly, quickly bringing his hand to her ribs where he tickles and pinches.

Allura squeaks and squeals and jerks away, getting chased back to the bar where Keith follows wiggling his fingers at her tauntingly.

“Stop being a brute and buy me another drink” she orders once her own laughter dies down.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Miss.”

“Yes Miss.”

They reach the bar where Sal is waiting with two fresh glasses.

“You and your girl want another beer?”

“S-She’s, uh, heh, she’s not my girl, but yeah another round please.” He scratches the nape of his neck, avoiding looking at Allura who sits and immediately begins nervously fiddling with a bar napkin.

When the pints are placed in front of them they nearly chug them to keep from having to talk to each other after which they decide it’s best to call it a night. They run in the rain back across the street to their cowboy accommodations where they exchange a “goodnight” that was even more awkward than before and disappear into their rooms. Luckily the booze makes sleep come fast.

As sunlight creeps through the curtains and decks Allura in the face the following morning, her groan is audible. She’s annoyed at the discomfort she feels off of just two beers and a shot of tequila. While she luckily didn’t do anything embarrassing last night, she does recall hands on her hips and her back and tickles at her side and it sends her whimpering into her pillow. It’s been a long time since she’s been touched in any way other than purely platonic but she doesn’t dare assume it was any sort of flirting. That would be silly. Hopefully Keith won’t bring it up at all. She begrudgingly rolls out of bed and changes her clothes.

“Breakfast?” Keith holds up a paper bag and some coffee as he leans against his car waiting for her to come out.

“Bless you.” Allura pouts dragging her luggage toward him.

She takes what she discovers to be a scone and the coffee while he gathers her things and loads them into the car. While she quietly eats Keith gets in and starts the car, immediately turning on the radio. He doesn’t want to talk about last night either so he’s glad Allura is currently stuffing her mouth.

They resign themselves to silence as the rain starts up again, light sprinkles as music softly plays. The sights and sounds are so monotonous that Allura has fallen asleep and Keith is admittedly zoning out, hard. He’s so out of it, staring down the endless road in a hypnotic state partly fueled by the previous night’s events, that he doesn’t notice the metal debris in the road, doesn’t swerve to avoid it and plows right over it, promptly piercing a tire.

“Shit shit shit!” Keith hisses as he steadies the wheel and pulls over.

“What happened?” Allura asks, groggy, eyes fluttering open.

“Flat tire” he responds in a rasp, fingers clenching his hair in frustration.

“Oh, damn. Ok well do you know how to change a tire?”

“Yeah, but I dunno how far we can get on a spare.”

“Well let’s change the tire then I’ll look up the nearest place to get a replacement.”

Keith looks at her, trying her best to be positive and hopeful and nods. He rolls up his sleeves and exits the car. Together they change the tire, well Keith changes the tire with Allura as his assistant holding her coat over him to shield him from the elements. Once the spare is on they drive, damp from the sporadic sprinkling, to the nearest auto shop. It’s a small mom and pop type store, “Beezer’s Auto Parts” in simple red font on a white sign over the door.

Keith looks skeptical.

“I’m not sure this place will have tires.”

“It’s says it does on the business directory online.” Allura holds up her phone.

He huffs, shrugs his shoulders and they go inside. The shop is empty and despite a jingling bell over the door as they enter remains so, not even an employee in sight. The radio softly plays over the intercom.

“I’ll go look for tires” Keith states and leaves Allura up front by the register, quickly disappearing down an aisle.

She waits for him, shuffling awkwardly then leaning against the counter. She wonders if she should join Keith, help, since anything is more interesting than this when she thinks she hears something from a door behind the register.

“Hmm so that’s where the employees have gotten off to. Well let me get some to assist with this damn tire.”

Allura steps around the counter and lifts her fist to knock on the door when the sounds coming from the other side get louder and clearer. She presses her ear against the surface to clarify and after a few moments her eyes go wide. She clamps a hand over her mouth and tip toes away before scurrying past each aisle looking frantically for Keith. She finds him toward the back staring at a wall of tires, reviewing sizes and comparing prices while he strokes his chin.

“They’re fornicating!” Allura hisses.

“Huh?”

Keith’s not sure he heard her right.

“The workers are in the back room doing the ol’…” She touches the tips of her thumb and pointer finger together to form a circle, poking her other pointer finger through it in and out until Keith gets the hint.

“No way” he snaps and smacks her hands apart.

“I’m serious!”

She begins tugging him then full on dragging him until they’re sneaking behind the front counter once more and up to the back door. She gently shoves Keith in front of her who playfully shoves her back before leaning in to listen for himself.

The proof is almost immediate. A woman’s voice, whiney, breathy, desperate, begs for her partner not to stop, to never stop. The response is deep growling grunts, panting, skin slapping, a low voice asking if she likes it, if she wants it harder. Keith’s cheeks are suddenly burning and he pulls back.

“Oh they’re fuckin’” he whispers.

“What do we do? We can’t leave without the tire.” Allura softly whines.

“Let’s leave quietly then come back in all loud and noisy like we don’t know anything. They’ll hear us, stop, come out, sell us the tire and then we can get the hell out of here.”

Allura nods and sticks close to him as they attempt to sneak out. They get to the door when a truck pulls up and a man comes storming inside, causing them to jump back.

“Who are you?” He grunts, their expressions and current position too close to the register making him suspicious.

He’s a tall older man, his hair and beard showing faint traces of blonde that have been taken over by salt and pepper strands. The stern expression on faces gives a hint that he is not to be trifled with.

“No harm, just tryna buy a tire for my SUV outside” Keith explains. Allura who’s clutching his arm nods in agreement.

The man eyes them up and down before turning toward the counter.

“Where’s the young lady that’s supposed to be workin’?”

“Oh, well I think she’s…oh dear.” Allura looks to the back door before her eyes fall to the floor.

The man’s eyes narrow on her then drift to where her gaze had been.

“Godammit Nyma!” he hisses and immediately storms toward the back room.

Keith and Allura remain frozen as he throws open the door and barrels inside. Then the yelling and screaming starts.

“What the hell Nyma!”

“Oh my god daddy what are you doing here!”

“Checkin’ in on you while you’re supposed to be watching the damn store!”

“It’s not what you think sir!”

“Rolo shut your mouth and get the hell out right now before I throw your ass out!

“Just give me a second to-”

“I SAID GET OUT!”

Shortly after a young man comes sprinting out, nude, holding his clothes and shoes clumsily over his privates as he hastily attempts to escape. In his rush he runs into the pair and accidently drops his things, giving Keith and Allura a full view.

“Oh that’s a penis!” Keith exclaims, quickly clamping his hand over Allura’s eyes. Allura gasps and moves her head just in time to catch a glimpse of ass crack as the man they conclude is Rolo bolts out and into his truck before speeding away.

The father comes back to the front cursing under his breath as he punches some keys on the cash register.

“Y’know she asks for more responsibility and I give it to her and this is what she does with it! Do you two have kids?”

“Oh we’re not a couple” Allura clarifies, slightly put off that they need to keep explaining this.

“My apologies, I just figured since, y’know.”

He gestures at them, at the way Allura is holding onto Keith’s arm and when the two notice they part like the Red Sea. Keith coughs loudly and slips both hands in his pockets.

“Look we just wanna get a tire and get outta here. We have someplace to be.”

“Understood, let’s pick something out for you and I’ll ring ya up.”

The man helps get Keith what he needs; they replace the spare on the car and soon are back on the road. The sprinkling from before has picked up.

“Well that was awkward.”

“Awkward indeed” Allura agrees, hugging herself and rubbing her arms.

Keith steals glances at her realizing their clothes are still a bit moist and cold standing outside changing the flat.

“Wanna stop and get lunch? Warm up a bit?”

“Are you sure you want to stop again so soon?”

“It’s fine. I’ll just make sure to drive like a bat outta hell after we eat to make up for lost time” he quips.

“And pop another tire? You better not” she scolds him.

“Yes dea-…Miss” he quickly catches and corrects himself. Allura pretends like she didn’t hear anything, turning her face toward the window to hide her slight smile.

Keith pulls into the parking lot of what appears to be a standard perfectly normal family restaurant, much to their relief. They’re seated and given that it’s not very busy are able to order rather quickly. They both get soup, salads and hot tea. The waitress brings two hot mugs of boiled water and a small basket of tea bags. Allura snags a packet of earl grey and tears it open, dipping the bag into her cup and letting it steep.

“I sort of feel sorry for that girl. She just wanted a fun quick little fling with her boyfriend.” Alura sighs and places both hands around the cup to warm her palms.

“Heh, yeah. I remember sneaking into a girl’s room at night once, narrowly escaping out a window when the hallway light clicked on.”

Allura giggles and lifts the mug to her lips to take a sip.

“So scandalous.”

“Don’t act like you’ve never done anything like that.”

Keith stares her down with a knowing smirk to which Allura clamps her teeth on her lower lip.

“I may have allegedly skipped class once or twice to snog a boy in the back seat of his car.”

“Allegedly?” Keith chuckles.

“Allegedly.” She grins back.

The waitress finally brings their meal to which they are grateful and they happily dig in, relishing in warmth of the broth as it slides down their throats. They eat without much chit chat, hungrier than initially anticipated, when the their table is suddenly surrounded by restaurant staff. It’s not until now that Keith and Allura take in their uniforms. Black and white striped shirts with black pants or skirts with red suspenders, the straps of which are covered in pins and buttons with kooky sayings on them.

“I heard it’s a special lady’s birthday today!” The young man at the forefront declares in a melodic voice.

“Wait, it’s your birthday?” Keith is confused.

“It’s not my bir-”

“And-a one and-a two and-a three!”

Allura tries to interject but the staff starts singing rather loudly and drowns her out.

“Happy happy birthday from Bob’s Restaurant to you! Happy happy birthday, may all your dreams come true, WHOO!”

They begin clapping, cheering. One person pops confetti which startles Allura and rainbow flecks rain down onto her, landing in her hair and soup. Another places a sparkly plastic tiara on her head. A third places a dessert in front of her, a sparkler candle lighting up her face.

Before Allura can try one more time the hostess runs up, a looking frantic and mortified.

“Guys no, it’s the OTHER woman with the pink sweater, over there!” She points and everyone follows her finger to another family sitting across the restaurant.

“Fuck” the man in the front blurts out, dropping his shoulders.

“Oh Miss we’re so sorry! But you and your boyfriend can keep the dessert!” The hostess apologizes profusely.

Allura tries to tell them they’re not actually dating but the group is already backing away from the table sheepishly and they scurry into the kitchen, probably to grab another cake slice and try again. She sits looking like a glittery bomb exploded all over her and when her eyes meet Keith’s he absolutely loses it. He can’t help himself.

“Yuck it up” she snarls as she begins picking colored bits of paper from her minestrone.

“I’m sorry, I’m-” He can’t even finish, he’s hunched over on his side of the booth, cackling so hard he can barely breathe.

“Just for that I’m not sharing my birthday cake with you.”

Keith sits up and wipes his eyes, letting himself calm.

“Ok ok I’m done. I’m sorry but you have to admit that was pretty damn hilarious.”

“For you maybe, I look like a piñata vomited all over me.”

“You look like a pretty princess.”

“Can we just finish and get out of here?”

“As you wish your majesty.”

Allura chucks a roll at him and they finish their lunch. Despite her original threat, she does share of her cake with Keith and they even sing along when the staff returns to sing to the actual birthday girl. Once they pay and step outside Allura plucks the crown from her head and shakes off the confetti to the best of her abilities. Keith helps pluck as much as he can out of her hair, until he realizes how close he is and that he’s touching her and wow her hair really is incredibly soft. He backs off and lets her get the rest.

When they hit the freeway a sense of ease washes over the both of them as they put distance between the earlier day’s weirdness and after hours of driving with nothing odd happening it feels like the trip is finally going to be normal. They were even able to stop for dinner at a fast food taco joint without incident. Four chicken tacos and an enchilada combo plate later Keith drives into the night for as long as he can go to make up for previous setbacks before he feels his eyelids drooping.

“You look tired, we should stop for the night.”

“No no, I’m good.”

“You need rest. Besides, if we wait too late we might not be able to find anything.”

“You’re right.” He yawns and promises to pull over to the next lodging.

Keith keeps his word and heads toward the next motel he can see from the road and it’s a good thing because the rain is pouring down by now. They scramble to get their bags and hurry inside but not before Allura stops to stare at the sign, a bright blue with a red “vacancy” underneath it.

“Yates Motel?”

“Allura c’mon we’re getting soaked out here.”

“Don’t you think that sounds a little too much like a certain hotel where several people got stabbed?” She mimics a stabbing motion with her hands in an exaggerated manner.

“Allura that was a Hitchcock movie. It’s not real. I’m tired and you’re to one who wanted to stop so can we just go inside please?” Keith begs, wet bangs plastered to his face.

Allura groans and runs in with him. The second they’re safely inside lightening flashes causing Allura to jump and latch on to the sleeve of Keith’s black hoodie. There’s no one in the tiny lobby so he dings the bell at the counter.

“Keith this place creeps me out” she whispers, looking around at the morose paintings, peeling wallpaper and flickering lamps.

“It’s fine. I promise you there’s nothing creepy about this pl-”

“May I help you?” a low raspy voice cuts in.

Keith flinches and lets out a yelp, instinctively grabbing Allura’s hand. The man, who seems to have appeared out of nowhere, is tall, lanky with a sunken in face. His dark thinning hair is combed over and slicked down. “Noland” is printed on the nametag pinned to his brown wool sweater vest.

“We need to book a room.”

“Would you and your wife like a queen or king sized bed?”

“We’re not a couple, why does everyone keep saying that?!” He snaps.

“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, I assumed from your hands…”

He motions to Keith, whose fingers are still intertwined with Allura’s. Keith cheeks flush and he yanks his hand away nervously. Allura, flustered, hugs herself.

“Can we just get two rooms please?” He mutters, trying to move on to avoid further embarrassment.

“Of course sir.” He takes their payment information, filling out forms for each of them. “Check out is at 11. There is to be no smoking. I apologize if that is an inconvenience but mother hates the smell.”

“M-Mother?” Allura stammers.

“Yes. She lives here with me on the property, but she doesn’t get out much. We live in the house over there.”

Noland points a skinny finger out the window to a tiny one story house next door. It’s hard to see, what with the storm, but one can make out a silhouette in the window, rocking back and forth in a chair. Lightning flashes once more and when it stops the figure is gone.

“Keith!” Allura hisses in his ear as she presses herself against his back.

“No smoking, got it, thank you!”

Keith, laughing nervously, snatches the keys off the table and escorts Allura, protesting the entire time, to her room. It takes 20 minutes of convincing before she’ll even allow him to leave her there alone, but he does and after the longest hottest shower of his life he plops down on the bed, stretching out his whole body. He tries to watch the television but it’s nothing but static, but it’s ok because he honestly can’t keep his eyes open. As they begin to slip closed there’s a rapid banging on the door. Keith grits his teeth, throws back the sheets and answers it.

Allura stands in her pajamas, soaking wet, looking terrified.

“Look, I tried I really did, but I can’t stop hearing weird noises like crying or something, there’s a mystery stain on the ceiling of my bathroom and I’m pretty sure someone’s been murdered in my bed and if I had to take a guess it’s by that Noland man skulking around in his mother’s wig with a butcher knife! I have no proof of any of this, of course, it’s just a gut feeling, but the point is I simply cannot be expected to sleep in there! I’m young, pretty and technically not a virgin. A girl like me dies before the open credits even start! I guess what I’m saying is can I sleep in here with you? Please Keith!” she rambles on quickly, pleading her case.

Keith stands there, heart racing at the very thought, at the question he’s been presented with. He looks at Allura, drenched, tank top clinging to her body, strands of hair sticking to her face, lips and bare shoulders. Her chest heaves as she breathes heavily, having been worked up by her own irrational hyped up fears. Speaking of chest is she even wearing a bra? He tries not to look but for a second, deciding to be a gentleman and look her in her eyes, her piercing blue eyes and pouting full lips waiting for him to save her.

He swallows hard. He should tell her there’s nothing to be afraid of and send her back to her room.

He’s going to tell her no, it’s the appropriate thing to do.

He’s going to turn her away.

“S-Sure…uh, come on in.”


	3. Wedding Crashers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Waltzes in in the night and updates as if it hasn't been nearly two months*
> 
> Thank y'all for your patience. I really didn't think it was going to take me this long to finish this chapter. Hope you enjoy and and as always thank you for the kudos and comments and messages on tumblr about this fic. Also the rumors are true, this chapter gets spicy.

The second Keith could hear the faucet turn and water shooting from shower head he immediately snatches up his phone, scrolling through his contacts like a mad man. He taps a name, holds it to his ear and paces the room, eyes darting frantically to the bathroom door.

“Hel-”

“I’m gonna sleep with her!”

“Wh-…wait…what?”

“She’s in my shower and I think we’re gonna sleep together!” Keith squeaks.

“The fuck?” Shiro blurts out before Keith can hear Adam’s concerned voice in the background. “He says he’s going to sleep with Allura” Shiro relays.

“What?!” Adam yelps. “Gimme the damn phone!”

There’s an audible struggle but Shiro is victorious, his arm strength forever leaving Adam’s in the dust, and he’s back on the phone.

“How did you go from ‘I’m not giving her a ride’ to ‘Oh I’m givin’ her a ride’?”

Keith sighs and explains the entire situation, ending with a soaked Allura now in his shower so she doesn’t catch cold.

“I knew it! I told you something was going to happen!” Adam says triumphantly.

“Wait, am I on speaker phone?”

“Don’t change the subject” Shiro snaps. “Anyway have you thought of maybe, you know, not sleeping with her? Like sleeping next to her-”

“But without the penetration” Adam finishes.

“Of course I thought of that you jackasses!” Keith growls into the phone.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“He’s attracted to her” Adam answers before Keith can.

“Really? I didn’t think she’d be his type.”

“She’s everyone’s type.”

“True. She’s irritatingly stunning.”

“They better not upstage the wedding with a pregnancy announcement.”

“Ha! Oh my god can you imagi-”

“DO YOU MIND?!”

There’s an abrupt silence on the other end followed by faint snickering. Shiro then clears his throat.

“Keith, look, you’re a grown man. We’re not gonna tell you what to do cause we know you’re stubborn and you’ll just do what you want anyway. Trust yourself and do what you think is right.”

“And don’t break her heart!” Adam adds.

“And don’t break her heart” Shiro repeats.

“And for the love of god wear a condom!”

Shiro laughs and smacks his love’s arm.

“And yes, wear a condom.”

Keith massages the bridge of his nose with his fingers then sighs loudly as he runs the same hand up through his hair, pushing it back. He hears the water turn off.

“I gotta go, sorry for the freak out. Thanks for listening.”

“No problem. We love you.”

“We do!”

“I love you guys too. Bye.”

Keith hangs up and sits on the edge of the bed facing the bathroom door, mentally soothing his frantic thoughts. He is an adult. He can just sleep next her despite his maybe kind of sort of possibly alleged attraction to her. He doesn’t even know how she feels so he’s not sure why he jumped the gun and was so worried something was going to happen in the first place. It’s going to be fine.

Then the door opens.

“I feel a bit better after the shower, especially knowing you were out here. Honestly I was afraid to take one in my room. Also thanks for letting me borrow some clothes. I sort of just bolted without grabbing my suitcase.”

Allura stands there, toweling her hair as steam pours out into the bedroom. She’s in one of his black graphic tees and a pair of his red basketball shorts. Nothing about this should be tantalizing in any way and yet…

“No p-problem. I uh, um, I can get your luggage if you really need it” he offers as he stares, gawks actually.

“I’d rather not be left alone if that’s ok.”

She smiles weakly and drapes the towel over a chair before moving to the window and peeking outside, unable to see anything through the storm. She tests the lock again.

“Yeah, it’s ok. So….”

At that moment they both turn themselves to look at the bed. The one bed. The one bed they’ll be sharing.

“We should, erm, we should get some sleep” Allura suggests, fiddling incessantly with the hem of the shirt he let her borrow.

“Sure.”

Keith stands and begins turning down the bed on his side. Allura joins him, pulling back the sheets. They avoid eye contact as they both slip inside, pulling the comforter up to their chins as if they’re both indecent.

“Well, goodnight then” Keith says, glancing at her continuously.

“Goodnight.” Allura keeps her eyes to the ceiling.

Keith takes a deep breath and yanks the chain under the lampshade, blanketing them in sudden darkness. There’s some shuffling, awkward coughing and then silence save for the rain beating down outside.

While Keith slowly drifts off with visions of the kinds of fun things two people could do in a shared bed dancing in his head, Allura tries desperately not to let her irrational fears of the place run wild. With every flash of lightning Allura imagines the hotel clerk sharpening his knives in some basement, his mother patiently waiting to wear her skin. The thunder claps and Allura jerks up with a yelp.

“You ok?” Keith mumbles, deep and gruff.

“Sorry I just…the storm is not helping.”

“Allura no here is going to hurt you” he groans, a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

“Sorry.” Her voice gets meek, quiet.

Keith sighs and sits up with her.

“What can I do to help?”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Even in the darkness Keith can tell she’s hanging her head. He’s about to push a boundary, but she’s scared and he doesn’t know what else to do. In one swift motion he wraps his arms around Allura and pulls her back down in the bed. An audible gasp escapes her lips.

“Would it help if I, if I held you?” he asks with a nervous softness.

“It, it might.”

Allura’s heart races, pounds, shivers all at once. Keith adjusts around her so she’s nestled comfortably in his arms, her face in the crook of his neck.

“Better?”

It’s infinitely better. He’s warm, smells of hotel shampoo and soap, his shirt has leftover hints of cologne, his heart beats steadily as his chest rises and falls. It takes everything not to hold him tight.

“Mhm” is all she can give.

Allura is so focused on his body heat, his heartbeat, that the sounds of the storm outside fade away. She closes her eyes and melds with him, lets her mind wander. She’s reminded how long it’s been since she’s had a proper date, a kiss, a good…it’s been a while. Part of it is how she evades getting close to anyone by drowning herself in work, but also there just hasn’t been anyone who lights even a remote spark in her. Well not until now. Keith is like a goddamn hunk of flint. But it’s silly. He’s being kind right now but a guy like him would never be interested in a girl like her. He probably thinks she’s a high maintenance priss. So she’ll just sink into her thoughts, her fantasies where he’s already got those red basketball shorts he let her borrow down around her ankles.

Eventually she passes out. She sleeps soundly, too soundly in fact, as does Keith, and Allura’s eyes flutter open the next morning to find she’s on her back with Keith draped over her, his head on her chest, one hand resting on her bare stomach up under her shirt. He’s still snoozing. They didn’t do anything last night but this entanglement nevertheless has Allura’s ears ringing and her skin burning. She slowly slips out from underneath him, stopping every time he so much as shifts, rolling ungracefully until she’s flipped herself right off the bed, landing with a thud and a yip.

Keith flinches at the sound, waking slowly, blinking before realizing Allura isn’t beside him.

“Lu? You ok?” he grunts and rubs the sleep from his eyes.

Allura’s head pops up, hair a mess and stares at Keith who stares back, confused and bewildered.

“Fine! Great! Slept like a log.” She smoothes her tresses.

“Then why are you down there?”

“Here? On the floor?”

Keith nods.

“I was just, uh, doing my morning stretches. Love me some yoga!”

She quickly gets herself into a downward dog position and holds it. Keith seems skeptical but shrugs it off and gets out of bed, scratching his backside as he shuffles into the bathroom and closes the door. Allura immediately takes this opportunity to scramble to her phone. There are some missed calls from Adam as well as a single early morning text from him which reads “Well? How was it?” that she’s very confused about. She sends a response.

_9:17 am_

_How was what?_

_9:18 am_

_Um, nothing! Having a good time?_

_9:18 am_

_It’s been an adventure to say the least it’s just…_

_9:18 am_

_?_

_9:18 am_

_We shared a bed last night_

_9:19 am_

_Oh? What happened?_

Adam sits in bed typing with a grin on his face as he feigns naiveté as if Keith didn’t spill everything the night before. Still, he’d love to hear it from his best friend’s perspective. 

_9:19 am_

_Nothing…but, I sort of wish it had? I’m being foolish aren’t I?_

_9:19 am_

_No no! Keith can seem rough around the edges but he’s a great guy._

_9:19 am_

_I just met him though. I shouldn’t be smitten with someone this fast._

_9:19 am_

_But you’ve been spending a lot of time together. And from the pics you’ve been sending it looks like you’re having fun. Just relax. Don’t stress. Don’t feel guilty about enjoying your time with him._

Allura stares at her screen and purses her lips.

_9:20 am_

_Hmm, you’re right. I should go, we’re going to get on the road soon. Thank you darling, and PLEASE don’t mention anything to Shiro. I don’t want him to slip up and say anything to Keith. Love you, bye! <3_

Adam’s brow raises as he clenches his teeth guiltily, Shiro leaning over his shoulder as the texts roll in.

“Whoops” Adam shrugs and chuckles. “It’s a little late for that.”

Shiro kisses his cheek and slips out of bed to start breakfast.

“Well I promise I won’t tell Keith. I’ll just steer him in the right direction.”

“That’s meddling.”

“You’re meddling too!”

“I’m…ok yes we’re both meddling, now stop staring at me judgingly.” Adam orders as he grabs his glasses from the nightstand and puts them on.

“I’ll stop staring when you get up and make the coffee.”

“Yes Captain.” Adam smirks and follows Shiro into the kitchen.

Keith and Allura meanwhile sit quietly in the car. They’re both feeling a bit awkward around each other for two people who slept together but didn’t sleep together but considered for a moment that it wouldn’t be so bad if they slept together.

What previously would have been lengthy conversations is now short chit chat if anything at all. They mostly just listen to music and stay silent while stealing glances. Keith hates it. It was funny because when he first picked her up he was worried she’d talk his ear off and now all he wants is to hear her voice, her laugh, her terribly corny jokes. He wonders if he ruined everything by holding her last night. He wanted to comfort her at the time but is now thinking he’s messed it all up.

“So, um, good news is we didn’t get murdered last night” he says with a light chuckle.

“Yes indeed. Upon reflection I may have overreacted about being in immediate danger.” Allura smiles sheepishly as she plays with her hair.

“Oh really? Did you?” Keith teases.

“Shhh....shut up.” Allura giggles and slaps his thigh.

The touch, as innocent as it may have been, causes Keith’s body to tense and his fingers lock tight on the steering wheel. Allura realizes what she’s done the second the action is over and she quickly yanks her hand away and back into the safety of her lap.

“Hmm, well anyway, I was thinking despite not dying a gruesome death last night that I could perhaps pick the final hotel before we get to the venue” Allura requests as she pulls out her phone.

“Sure. I’ll admit my picks haven’t been…the most desirable.”

“Oh no, the cowboy hotel was lovely, but I was thinking we could try something different.”

“I’m down to try different.” Keith grins.

Different, as it turns out, means fancy as fuck.

Keith can already feel his heart sinking as he pulls up to the valet in front of the hotel later that evening.

“Uh Allura…I don’t think I can afford this” Keith mutters quietly.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s on me.”

“I don’t feel comfortable with y-”

“Keith, you’ve taken care of me this entire time, let me treat you please.”

Keith lets out a resigned sigh and pops the trunk after putting the car in park and turning off the ignition. He pulls out his and Allura’s things and hands the key to the young valet. The second they walk through the sliding automatic doors he immediately feels vastly underdressed, in fact he thinks perhaps he’s the one who should be outside parking the cars. Allura walks through the lobby with a confident stride right up to the reception counter while Keith follows meekly behind.

“Hello welcome to the Balmera Hotel, how can I help you?” a young woman chirps in a sleek pressed dark grey fitted suit.

“Hi, I’d like to book a room please.”

“How many adults?”

“Two.”

The woman’s fingers tap away at the computer.

“Hmm due to a wedding reception tonight as well as a convention in town we don’t have many rooms left. All our two bed accommodations are taken, however we do have a King suite and some single Queen rooms without balcony.” She doesn’t take her eyes off the screen.

“King Suite please” Allura responds without hesitation and pulls her wallet from her purse, sliding out a black credit card and handing it over along with her driver’s license.

The woman takes the card with a satisfied smile and begins the process of booking the room.

“You have a black card?” Keith whispers. “I thought you said you work for the family business?”

Allura grins sweetly as she takes back her card, ID and their room keys and turns to Keith.

“I do…it just happens to be a high profile tech company is all.”

“You left that part out.” Keith’s gaze narrows on her.

“Did I? My apologies.” Allura giggles guiltily and grabs her rolling luggage.

She briskly heads for the elevator, noticing a sign on an easel stand in front of the ballroom door. _Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Garrette_.

“People sometimes make a big deal out of it when they find out where I work, who my father is. It’s bothersome” Allura huffs as they get in the elevator.

“Did you think I was going to judge you? Try and take advantage of you?” Keith asks.

“I…no, I…”

“I wouldn’t do that...” he sounds a bit hurt.

“I’m sorry.” Allura glances down and squeezes the items in her hands.

“No, it’s ok. We just met. You don’t owe me your life story.”

“I don’t but, it’s been nice getting to know you. I didn’t mean to hide anything.” She finally looks at him with a warm smile.

“It’s been nice getting to know you too.” He returns her kind expression.

They stand there, just the two of them, staring at each other with soft lingering eyes just a little too long when the ding of the elevator arriving at their floor breaks the trance. They both laugh awkwardly and hurry out.

When Allura slides the key in the lock and opens the door to their suite Keith’s jaw hits the floor. This is hands down the nicest hotel he’s ever stayed in and he feels a momentary pang of guilt for making Allura sleep in the previous shitholes, momentary because he forgets everything the second he walks into the bathroom and sees the giant whirlpool bathtub and waterfall shower.

“Can we just skip the wedding and live here?” He quips as he returns to the room to find Allura on her stomach, stretched across the bed.

“Ok but you’re the one who has to tell them.” Allura laughs. “By the way you don’t mind sharing a bed again do you?” She rolls over on to her side, absentmindedly tracing circles with her fingertips over the comforter.

Keith looks down at her, a beautiful woman laying on a large bed that resembles a cloud asking if he minds sleeping next to her. Oh, boy she has no idea.

“Yeah, sure.” He tries to answer as nonchalantly as humanly possible as he sits next to her. “So what do you wanna do tonight? Go to dinner? Get some room service?”

“Hmm, I don’t know…wanna crash that wedding reception?”

“E-Excuse me?” Keith chokes out.

“Some couple is having their wedding reception in the ballroom downstairs. Want to crash it?”

“Allura, are you serious?”

“I’ve always wanted to do it.” Her face lights up.

“We don’t have anything nice to wear.”

“We have a tux and a maid of honor dress. Come on Keith, live a little.”

“And what if we get caught?”

“Then we get caught, it’s not like we’re ever going to see these people again.”

Keith thinks. It’s crazy, but also completely on brand with the way the trip has gone so far. He’s also lowkey impressed that Allura appears to be a bit of a delinquent. Given his own past that’s something he can respect. He laughs, shakes his head, scratches at his brow.

“Ok, let’s do it.” He agrees with a smirk.

Allura leaps up from the bed, excited and pulls the garment bag from her suitcase with her dress inside. They get dressed, but not too dressed up, Keith forgoing the bowtie of his tux and leaving a few shirt buttons open. Allura puts a few quick curls in her hair, slaps on some lipstick and soon they’re headed downstairs ready to pretend to be a friend of a friend of a friend, coming up with fake names on the elevator ride down.

“Ok so we’ll make the rounds during the cocktail hour, grab a plate then make ourselves scarce during the dinner then blend back in during the dancing” Allura purrs in his ears as they enter a crowded ballroom, hooking her arm around his.

“You sound like you’ve done this before.” He leans his face into hers.

“I haven’t but I’ve been to enough weddings to catch on to the schedule.”

They hit up a table covered in champagne flutes filled to the brim, next to which is a table with an impressive hors d'oeuvres display. They each grab a glass and begin stuffing their faces when Keith feels a tap on his shoulder which immediately sends him into a panic.

“Akira, is that you?”

Keith, a mouth full of shrimp cocktail, turns around slowly.

“Akira! I can’t believe you were able to make it!” A man with similar height and slicked back brown hair hugs him before Keith can even react.

When they pull apart Keith quickly tries to control his facial expression as Allura looks on nervously.

The young man pulls a female companion over.

“Nadia this is Akira.”

They shake hands.

“Lovely to meet you! James told me a while back you left for Japan after college to teach English?”

James. Perfect, now Keith can pretend he actually knows this person.

“Heh, yup!” Keith chuckles, not wanting to say anything else to give himself away.

“Yeah man it’s been years since we’ve seen each other, but luckily he and I exchange emails when we can. Man look at you! You grew your hair out!”

James ruffles Keith’s hair and chuckles. Keith keeps his tight lipped smile.

“And you must be his girlfriend Fala that he was going on about.” James extends his hand out to Allura.

“Hmm?” She looks at Keith then back at James. “Uh…yes! Yes that’s me, Fala…Fala his girlfriend nice to meet you!”

She gracefully shakes both of their hands.

“So,” Allura starts, “how long have you known my Akira for hmm?” Allura saddles up next to Keith and clutches him by the arm causing a brief flush of his cheeks.

“Senior year in high school with the groom. Wanna see a pic?”

“Love to!”

James pulls out his phone and pulls up his Facebook, scrolling for a while through numerous albums until he finds an old photo from their younger years. He shows it to the both of them and it takes everything to stifle the gasp. The resemblance is uncanny. It looks exactly like Keith but with shorter hair and glasses. They appear to be at some school rally.

“Yeah, that was a fun day. Man we looked like a couple of nerds.” Keith lies through his teeth.

“Right?!” James chuckles. “Luckily we’ve grown out of it.”

“Have you?” His wife Nadia jokes and they share a sweet kiss.

“Anyway,” James continues, “It’s crazy that you’re here. I thought you’d never be able to get off work and snag a plane ticket in time.”

“Was able to pull things together last minute. I’d never miss uh…” Keith’s eyes dart around frantically before he notices the cocktail napkins have “Hunk & Romelle: Happily Ever After” plastered all over them. “Hunk’s big day!”

“Well since you didn’t RSVP I don’t think there’s a place for you but I’m sure there’s some extra chairs we can scrounge up. You can sit with us!” James grins brightly.

Keith and Allura look at each other.

“That would be lovely.” Allura beams.

“The bar is over there. Join us?” Nadia asks.

“Yes, in just a moment, we’ll meet you over there.”

They stand there, waiting until the couple has walked away before Keith turns to Allura with fear in his eyes.

“What are the chances of you having a supposed doppelganger at this thing?” Allura whispers.

“Allura I dunno if this is gonna work. I can’t pretend to be this Akira guy!” he hisses.

“Of course you can. This man has apparently been in Japan this whole time, you can make up anything you want at this point!”

“Lu…”

“Ok, one more drink then I’ll food poisoning from the shrimp and we can leave.” Allura reassures him.

“Ok, one more drink.”

One more drink turns into two, then, before they know it, the dinner starts and it’s too late to dip out. They try to escape halfway during the dinner but the second they attempt to stand the speeches start and they don’t dare draw attention by getting up while everyone is quietly listening to heartfelt odes to the bride and groom.

“And that’s why it’s such an honor to be here by your side buddy. I love you guys. To Hunk and Romelle!” A tall lean brunette lifts his flute in the air and everyone cheers.

A bubbly blonde and heavy set dark haired man at the head table clink their glasses and happily kiss multiple times before the DJ ushers them to the dance floor for their first dance. Even though Allura doesn’t know them, she’s in awe of how happy and in love they look. The groom gazes at his bride like she’s his entire world and suddenly Allura feels slightly envious.

Next comes the father daughter and son and mother dances and the more Allura watches the more uneasy she feels. She clamps her teeth down on her bottom lip.

“Maybe we should go now” Allura leans over and whispers in Keith’s ear.

“Are you sure? We’ve pulled it off so far. It should be smooth sailing from here on out.” Keith pats her hand, eliciting a fluttering in her stomach.

“I just-”

“And now we’ll be opening the floor to everyone. Let’s get this party started!” The DJ’s voice cuts through their conversation as a soft slow melody ends and transitions into a thumping upbeat track. The lighting changes to colorful strobes.

“Oh I love this song! Let’s dance you guys!” Nadia begs, yanking her husband to his feet.

“Yeah let’s go!”

Keith turns to Allura, allowing it to be her call. Her eyes meet Keith’s and next thing she’s quickly downing her wine, finishing with a grumble as she clears her throat.

“Well, let’s do it.” Allura takes Keith’s hand and off they go.

The next couple of hours are a whirlwind of dancing, drinking, laughing, photo booth pictures, more dancing, cake, more dancing. Keith’s shirt becomes even more unbuttoned throughout the night. Allura’s barefoot, having left her heels under the table next to her clutch. Their hair is damp with sweat. As the party winds down the DJ plays slower songs, giving Keith and Allura time to catch their breath. They get in one last dance after their “friends” James and Nadia have gone home to relieve the babysitter.

“I can’t believe we got away with it.” Keith chuckles as he holds Allura around her waist, swaying back and forth.

“You’re a natural Akira.” Allura squeezes him by the shoulders before wrapping her arms up around his neck.

“I couldn’t do it without you Fala.” He smirks.

“It did get a little awkward in the photo booth there for a second…when they asked us to kiss.”

It gets quiet and Keith nibbles his lips.

“Heh yeah, but you handled it like a pro.” He recalls her grabbing his face and kissing his cheek at the last minute before the camera went off.

“Yes but perhaps I should have played along” she mumbles softly, joking halfheartedly, and lets her head drop. “You know, to keep up appearances.”

“Yeah…” He pauses, stares her down. “Hey Lu?”

“Hmm?” She tilts her head up.

“I had fun with you tonight.”

“Me too.”

Another pause.

“Do you wanna go back to the room?” he asks suddenly and the way he says it, deep and gruffer than usual, makes the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It sounds more like an invitation than a suggestion.

“Sure.”

He takes her hand and leads her to the table to retrieve her things before escorting her to the elevator. They stand silently, her fingers still intertwined in his as the lift climbs until it reaches their floor. Keith pulls the key card from his pocket and slips it in, waiting for the green light and a click before gently pulling her inside.

They finally let go of each other. Keith emptying the contents of his pockets on the table while Allura tosses her purse on the dresser and kicks her heels off.

“Help me with this?”

Keith turns to see Allura with her back to him. She’s pulled her hair out of the way, over her shoulder to expose the zipper of her peach pink maxi length gown. He inhales and exhales sharply and approaches without a word, shaking hands undoing the clasp, his knuckles brushing the skin.

Allura holds her breath as one of his hands rests on her waist while the other slowly drags down the zipper exposing the tiniest hint of a nude colored strapless bra. She can feel warm steady air against her spine and she clutches her dress at the chest. Keith lingers, eyes locked, wondering what would happen if he just, maybe, pressed his mouth against the nape of her neck.

The quiet in addition to feeling him right behind her yet not speaking has Allura’s heart racing and she blurts out words in order to break the silence.

“I think I’ll take a shower before bed” she says, her voice coming out shakier than she would have liked.

“Yeah” he says softly, absentmindedly, almost as if he didn’t really hear what she said.

His hand rests on her back before pushing the thin strap of her dress over her shoulder. Allura gasps audibly.

“Heh, tonight was really something. Adam and Shiro will simply die when we tell them. Should probably get our clothes dry cleaned before the wedding. I think I got a little bit of champagne on mine” she rambles.

The other strap gets tugged down. Now the only thing holding up her dress is her own hand grasping the sweetheart neckline in her fist.

“I wish I could see the look on the bride and groom’s faces when they get their wedding pictures back and see us in them, wondering who the hell we are” Allura continues to babble, giggle anxiously as Keith’s hands find a home on her hips, fingers grip tight.

It’s his last chance to turn back, but he doesn’t really want to and instead waits for her to pull away, which she doesn’t. He tries one more time to make his intentions clear by pulling her back into him, her backside cradled perfectly against his pelvis. The sensation elicits a small yelp, but she doesn’t move to free herself, instead tilting her head to the side ever so, freeing up more real estate on her neck.

Taking it as a silent permission, Keith buries his face in the crook, suctioning his lips onto her skin. Allura lets out a soft whimper that’s prettier than he’d fantasized it would be the night before and he growls low as he plants a further succession of kisses along the curve and onto her shoulder.

“Keith” she murmurs to which he reaches up and grasps her by the back of her hair, tugging her head back to nip at her jaw line.

In that moment she lets go of the dress and it drops to the floor at her ankles. Despite the softness of the sound, it’s enough to make Keith’s eyes flutter open.

“Turn around, please” he requests.

Allura does as he asks, suddenly nervous and vulnerable, unsure of what to do with her hands as his eyes study her from head to toe. She doesn’t have to wait long however as Keith steps forward and cradles her face in his hands. He moves in fast at first, as if to engulf her mouth, then pauses, slows down, takes his time to leisurely taste her lips and mouth.

She clutches his shirt at the waist as they kiss, trying to savor it while yanking out his tucked in top. He reluctantly pulls back to allow her to undress him, which she does so gently, undoing each button with care knowing he needs to wear this again the day after tomorrow. When she gets to the last button she hesitates over his belt, her fingertips brushing against his stomach.

“It’s ok” he assures, nuzzling his head against hers.

Getting the go ahead, she begins to undo the buckle and when that falls loose with a clink, she moves on to his pants. His mouth is back on hers in brief chaste kisses as she lowers his zipper and begins pushing his trousers over his hips. While she does this he shuffles himself out of his shirt and both items hit the floor simultaneously.

Unencumbered by clothes, he gathers her up in his arms and delicately places her down on the grand bed he’s been dreaming of laying in since the moment they checked in. She melts into the nest of sheets and he settles himself on top of her, finding her lips immediately.

“Keith” she gasps after a while, giving herself a moment to gather air, “I, um, I’ve never done something like this with someone I haven’t known long, but I…I like you and-”

“I like you too” he interjects with a smile, brushing her cheek as he runs a thumb over her bottom lip. “This really isn’t my normal M.O. either but, I wanna keep going. If that’s what you want of course.”

Allura’s body eases as he says this and she answers him by bringing her hand between his legs and cupping his bulge. A surprised grunt rises from his throat as she palms him, rubs him through his boxer briefs.

“Shit” he whines, gradually growing hard against her hand.

Unable to handle the teasing as well as he thought, he’s suddenly shifting out of her grasp. One final kiss on her lips then he leaves her, inching down her body trailing his mouth along her skin, nibbling at her stomach. She giggles, ticklish, squirms under him.

Her light tinkling laugh follows with a sharp surprised inhale as she’s met with the sensation of his tongue dragging against her folds through the lace of her panties.

“Oh my god” she utters, quickly bringing a hand to her mouth.

Another lick and her body trembles. Keith smirks and hooks his fingers into the waistband and pulls them down. He’s back up, resting on the heels of his feet, tugging her underwear over her knees and down her legs and tossing them aside. He rubs her knees for a moment then slips them in between in order to part her legs. Rough hands slide down her thighs and Allura already feels lightheaded.

A kiss to her inner thigh, a gentle nibble then a teasing flicker is all she receives as a warning before he dives in. This time Allura can’t react fast enough to quiet herself and a low groan fills the room. Keith continues to lap at her mound, slow and deliberate, pushing the tip of his tongue between the folds, getting in deeper. Allura’s back is fully arched now and her whimpers are incessant as she clutches the sheets near her head.

“Fuck, your moans are so pretty…you’re so fucking pretty Allura” Keith takes a brief moment to praise her before he’s back between her legs.

Allura bucks, twists, but he holds her in place. He’s a lot stronger than she took him for and realizing she’s at his mercy makes her head spin. The way he rolls his tongue in circles, the way his growls vibrate against her. Her heart is racing, breath quickening, core throbbing.

“Keith I’m…oh god I’m” she whines, barely able to form a complete thought let alone sentence.

When he gets her there it comes in a rush, like a million waves crashing over her. Her own high pitched cries sound distant and even with her eyes clamped shut she sees pinks and reds and golds flashing behind her lids. She’s still moaning as she comes down only muffled by his mouth joining hers, the taste of her on his lips and tongue.

Allura’s eyes are still closed and she mewls as he peppers her face with kisses before whispering “wait here” in her ear. Keith climbs off the bed and snags his wallet, rifling through it quickly and yanking out a condom before tossing the wallet back on the table. Allura’s head is still swimming but she can hear the wrapper tear, packaging crinkle. She lays there blissfully as she feels his weight back on the bed. She opens her eyes as she sits up to see Keith crawling toward her.

“Hi.” Allura giggles, a bit embarrassed recalling how loudly she’d fallen apart because of him.

“Hey.”

Keith’s completely nude now and it’s evident that his body is ready for her. He brushes her hair away from her face and resumes their kissing before that same hand slips down her back and unhooks her bra in one fell swoop and flings it onto the floor.

“You’re a little too good at that” she mumbles against his mouth which elicits a chuckle from him before he uses his own weight to push her back down on the bed.

As much as he wants her, Keith doesn’t just jump right in. He can feel her still shivering from before and he takes the time to tenderly kiss and caress her, explore her body with his hands. He takes her breast in his palm and firmly massages it as his tongue lazily slips to and from her mouth. Allura’s fingers find the nape of his neck. They grasp a handful of this thick black hair and gently, playfully tug. He growls when her nails scrape his scalp.

He’s content to make out with her for a while despite all the blood in his body rushing to his lower half, but it’s Allura who starts to move her hips deliberately into his, bringing one leg up to wrap around him.

“I’m trying to be a gentleman, you know, take it slow.”

“And I appreciate it, truly, but I’ve been thinking about this very moment since last night and what I’d love more than anything is if you’d just take me, please.”

It’s the “please” that makes his extremities tingle. He wasn’t prepared to hear her beg in that accent of hers. He hangs his head.

“Please Keith” she pleads again.

His lip twitches and he bites down on it, starts to position himself where he needs to be while trying to commit that phrase and the exact way she says it to memory. Keith plants his hands on either side of her and rolls his hips forward. His mouth prepped her amply beforehand so he enters her with zero resistance now. They both groan. Allura’s breath quickens for a moment.

“A-Are you ok?” He looks down at her, concerned, his hair falling in his face.

“Yes, yes, please keep going.” She smiles up at him, tucking loose strands behind his ear for him.

He responds with a grin then presses his lips to hers and grants her request by grinding into her, slowly at first while he gets his bearings, then rougher and more rhythmically once he gets his confidence.

And Keith has every right to be confident as he seems to read her very well, responding appropriately to her moans when he hits all her right spots, taking cues when she spreads her legs to grant him more access. He moves his head down and his lips are all over her neck again, her jaw, his teeth sink into her ear.

“You feel so good” she pants breathlessly in response to his movements. “Right there, just like that.”

“Like this?”

Keith pumps and Allura gasps and tilts her head back into the pillow. He ups his pace, faster then harder, feeling himself hurtling closer to the edge as she cries out. She comes again, right in his ear and it sounds even better than the first time but it also has his knees buckling as the sounds of her orgasm push his own right to the forefront.

“Allura!” he blurts out before burying his head in her collarbone and letting out a roar.

His body convulses, lurches, writhes. He rocks on top of her a few more times before rolling off and resting beside her so as not to make her take his full weight.

“Fuck” he hisses and gasps for air.

Allura takes her own time to let her heart calm before she rolls on her side to wipe the hair sticking to his face and place a kiss to his temple. She slides out of bed and slinks into the bathroom to clean herself up. When she’s finished and opens the door he’s waiting there.

“Hi again.”

“Heh, hey.” Keith blushes.

“It’s all yours.”

He smiles and kisses her before brushing by her and closing the bathroom door. Allura smirks, trying to stifle the larger grin begging to take over her face. She grabs a bottled water from the mini fridge, gulps it then plops down in the bed, skipping pajamas, and burrowing herself in the sheets. When the door opens Keith finds her waiting, happily bundled up.

“Ha, see you wasted no time claiming your side of the bed.”

“Shush, at least I didn’t take the middle.” She pouts.

Keith chuckles and gets in, snuggling with her under the sheets. He’s going to sleep so good tonight; he knows it for a fact.

“Keith,” Allura pipes up after a bit of silence, “how are we going to tell Adam and Shiro?”

“We don’t have to tell them shit” Keith grumbles and spoons her from behind.

“You know they’re going to figure it out. Adam is so perceptive.”

“No way.” Keith scoffs.

Meanwhile Adam and Shiro sit on their couch in darkness save for the glow of the television screen as they shove popcorn in their mouths.

“I bet they’re boning right now.” Adam mutters nonchalantly.

“Is that so?” Shiro sips from his wine glass.

“Just a gut feeling. Plus Allura hasn’t texted me since this morning saying how she wanted to butter his biscuit. He’s probably got her in some upside down backwards ass up position he saw on the internet.”

Shiro laughs and tosses a few kernels at Adam who flinches and tries to shield himself.

“Don’t be gross.”

“Ok ok fine, but I still think they did it.”

“Oh for sure” Shiro nods before getting another handful of popcorn and devouring it. “They absolutely did it.”


End file.
